The present invention pertains to tethering of tools and more particularly to the placement of a retraction mechanism allowing for the useful tethering of a tool to the operator or to some other selected anchor.
Operators of hand tools frequently spend time in search of the location and proper orientation of these hand tools. In the performance of their various tasks, operators of hand tools may be mobile, traveling between several locations, and moving between various surfaces surrounding the operator. The operator may also be distracted by having several different tools on a work surface.
Many existing hand tool organization and retention devices have been created in an effort to decrease this search time and thereby maximizing the productivity of the operator. One such pre-existing device is a tool belt allowing the operator of the hand tools to have these tools readily available as his work locations change. Tools belts keep tools organized and each tool is kept in a known orientation. An enhancement to this useful invention is a tethering mechanism preventing the tool from getting too far from the operator and automatically returning to a known position on the operator. The tether precludes the tool from falling too far away from the operator as could happen at elevated heights, and may reduce the time required for the operator to return the tool to a known position.
A common feature of many preexisting tethering mechanisms is that they have the retracting mechanism for the tether located at the end attached to the operator. The space required for the retracting mechanism limits the number of such tethered tools available to an operator. In addition, special care must be taken to prevent the jamming of the tether during the retraction process because the orientation of the tool with respect to the retracting mechanism may be changing as the tool moves closer to the retractor.
A few preexisting tools have a retractor mechanism coupled to the tool rather than the user or other support structure. However, the location of the retractor mechanism is often inconvenient, and a poorly positioned retractor mechanisms can interfere with easy use of the tool.
What is needed is a tethered hand tool incorporating a retractable tether mechanism that is positioned in a location that does not interfere with the easy use of the tool. It may also be desirable for the tool to include apparatus for controlling the retraction of the tool located on the tool for easy one handed access by the user.
The invention includes a tethering apparatus for use with hand tools in which the apparatus is adapted to be attached to, or incorporated into, the hand tool and having the opposite end of a tether adapted for attachment to an operator or support structure. Like pre-existing tethers, the invention can prevent a hand tool from getting too far from the operator and may automatically return a tool to a known position on the operator or structure to which the tool is tethered.
In one embodiment, the hand tool built according to the invention comprises two lever arms, with the first and second lever arms each having a gripping jaw end, a handle end, and a first pivot point intermediate between the gripping jaw end and the handle end. The lever arms are pivotally coupled at the pivot points with a pivot member including a retraction assembly positioned within the pivot of the hand tool. In some embodiments, the pivot member may function as a pivot pin.
In another embodiment, the pivot member including the retractor assembly may be fixed to one of the lever arms, with only the other lever arm pivoting around the pivot member.
The retractor assembly generally includes a tether that has a free end that can be extended a desired length from the retractor. The free end generally will include a coupling device to couple to the user or to an anchor structure. Virtually any known coupling device may be used. The retractor assembly also includes a retraction mechanism for drawing the tether into the retractor assembly. Many kinds of retractor mechanisms are useable in the invention.
In some embodiments, the tethering apparatus may be modified to allow a locking mechanism for the tether. Such a mechanism allows for the operator to use the tool without exerting a counter force against the retracting mechanism during tool usage. When done, the operator disengages the locking mechanism. As an alternative to the locking mechanism, a ratchet mechanism may be substituted which would allow the tool to be extended away for the anchor point, but would not allow a potentially uncontrolled retraction back toward the user. One embodiment of a ratchet mechanism would require the operator to disengage the ratchet mechanism and hold the mechanism disengage while the tool retracted.
In another embodiment, the retraction mechanism may be configured so that the tension applied to the tether varies as the tether is unwound from the retraction mechanism. For example, the tension may be high when the tool are near the coupling device attached to the operator in order to prevent the pliers from bouncing on the tether when the operator is walking. The tension may fall as the tool is moved away from the coupling device in order to reduce resistance to the operators handling and use of the pliers.